Ranieri admits injury fear Thursday 16 August, 2007
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Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri faces an injury crisis ahead of Friday’s Berlusconi Trophy tie against Milan.
The Bianconeri face the Diavoli for the second time in three days having been beaten 1-0 in a 45-minute encounter in Tuesday evening's TIM Trophy.
While both sides will be determined to secure a confidence-boosting win in their final pre-season test, Ranieri admits his squad has been ravaged by injury.
“Sadly we have some absentees as Giorgio Chiellini, David Trezeguet and Cristiano Zanetti all have small injuries, Sergio Almiron has a niggle and Tiago Mendes isn’t at full fitness,” the ex-Parma tactician admitted.
“Mauro Camoranesi is working hard to recover, but he has only done 10 per cent of the work the others have. This will be a chance to find a new solution.
“The games that matter start against Livorno and then we must get three points, but this is important as it is a 90-minute game and it is our last before the season starts.”
Despite a resounding 5-2 victory over Roma last week, Ranieri acknowledges that the Old Lady have it all to do if they are to immediately compete for the Scudetto.
“In pre-season you can’t compare sides, but we know that we are still a long way off the top,” he stated. “The other giants are just regaining their stride, but we have to do double the work as we preparing and oiling the mechanism.”
Finally, the 55-year-old Roman took time to launch a stinging attack on French national Coach Raymond Domenech who claimed Italian football was marred by match-fixing.
“Domenech has never won anything, neither with the Under-21 side nor French senior side and yet he still talks,” Ranieri concluded. “Who is he to poke his nose into our affairs?”
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